Gummed tape printing device



Aug. 18, 1953 T. FlNlzlE ETAL GUMMED TAPE PRINTING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet l 3 3 m 0 r E L 0 Z M E 3 w |9 mmm4 n 4 n 1 UNH... 2 AT m N n N 9 a 7 Illll. .JE R 83 2 llll I- 11|/ n F 0 33. 5a a, 3 NJ. T WZ 4J/n 9| ./2 U N MH ...HV .f4 a u .fw T JY 1 u Z B Z w f/v 7-% T nl .1@ 3 M., 4 4 I a@ /y y. .M .l.. n u\ nl IIFI- H mi v Vv mr l H w m n Wx. 1?/ 5MM M 2 4 2 2H 4 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VENTORS.

AT TORNEY TUMUN EINIZJE BY JUHN J. CUNNULLY T. FlNlZlE ET AL GUMMED TAPE PRINTING DEVICE Aug. 18, 1953 iFiled May 9, 1950 Patented Aug. 18V, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GUMMED TAPE PRINTING DEVICE Tomun Finizie, Bridgeport, Conn., and John J. Connolly, Pelham Manor, N. Y.; said Finizie assigner to Bayus Electric,

Incorporated,

4 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in printing devices and has particular relation to a device for repeatedly printing a message on spaced portions of tape as the tape is taken from a roll.

An object of the invention is to provide a printing device of the character indicated and which is particularly applicable to printing on gummed tape.

Another object is to provide a printing device having the characteristics stated and wherein a roll of tape to be printed upon is yieldingly held in engagement with the matrix of a printing roll.

Another object is to provide a printing device adapted for the repeated printing of the same message on spaced portions of a tape and which device includes in addition to a printing roll an inking roll together with improved means for supplying ink to the inking roll.

An additional object is to provide a printing device especially adapted for the repeated printing of the same message on spaced portions of gummed tape as the latter is taken from a roll and including means whereby a roll of gummed tape may be easily and quickly mounted in the device.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein a satisfactory embodiment of the invention is shown. However, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the details disclosed but includes all such variations and modications as fall Within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view with the near side of the housing or casing of the device omitted and showing the printing mechanism and roll of tape in side elevation;

Fig. 2 is a view taken as looking from the right in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view taken as looking from the left in Fig. l, the closure for the housing or casing being shown in section;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken as along the line 4-.4 of Fig. l;

Fig. 5 is a top plan View showing the mounting of the ink supply and the inking roll;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken as along the line 6-6 of Fig. 5; and

Fig. '7 is an elevational view taken as looking from the left in Fig. 5.

Referring in detail tothe drawings, wherein the invention is disclosed as applied to the printing of gummed tape, at Ill is generally indicated a portion of a casing or housing. In gummed tape dispensers, there is usually incorporated a tape feeding means and a tape moistening means and a tape cut-off means. However, as such particular means form no part of the present invention, no attempt has been made to illustrate them and they may be considered as located forwardly of that portion of the machine housing which has been illustrated.

A housing I0 is shown as including a bottom Wall I I, side walls I2 and I3, and a top wall I4 in the form of a cover extending down at the rear end of the machine and hinged at I5. With this construction, it will be clear that the cover I4 may be swung to an open out-of-the-way position substantially entirely at the rear of the housing I0. However, the invention is not limited to any particular housing structure and it will be clear that the housing structure may be other than that shown.

Mounted on the bottom wall I I, toward the rear thereof, is a U-shaped bracket I6 shown as fastened in place by rivets Il passing throughV its bight portion I8 and as further including spaced upstanding ears I9 and 20. A pivot pin or bar 2l passes through these ears and forms the pivot mounting for parts to be described. Mounted by the pivot 2I and having their lower ends at the outer sides of the ears I9 and 2&3 are a pair of bracket arms 22 and 23 between them rotatably mounting a printing roller 2li for rotation on or with an axle 25. Also mounted between the bracket arms 22 and 23 and more specifically between the upper portions thereof is an inking mechanism generally designated 2S and later to be described in detail.

A bracket structure generally designated 2T and of U-shape has its bight portion 23 also mounted for pivotal movement by the pivot pin or bar 2I and then this structure includes a pair of upwardly and forwardly inclining arms 2t and 30. Through their upper inner sides and towards their free ends these arms 29 and 30 are provided with inclined slots 3i (compare Figs. l and 4) receiving the axle or mounting pin 32 of a roll of gummed tape generally designated 33. With this construction it will be seen that to mount the tape, the ends of its axle 32 are aligned with the upper ends of the slots 3i and the roll dropped into place. Also, at the upper sides'of the arms 29 and 30 are mounted guide rollers 34 and 35 extending at the sides of the tape roll 33 and insuring rotation of thelatter in a xed plane.

Considering the bracket 2l' as one member mounting the gummed tape and the bracket arms 22 and 23 as a second member mounting the printing roller 2li, means are provided for yieldingly urging one of said members about its pivot in a directionwhereby to yieldingly maintain the tape roll 33 and the printing Lroll '2 vin peripheral contact.

As herein shown, a pin 33 depending from a cross member 31 extending between and stipL ported by the arms 2B and 3U of bracket 2 is, in opposing relation to a pin St supported frein the bottom wall il of the housing. Atcoil spring surrounds these pin portions a is 'guided o'y them and being an expansion `g-is constantly exerting a force to rock tnebr 'cket 2l abiit the pivot 2i in a counter-clockwisedirection where'- by to carry the roll of tape 33 against the printing roller 2li. Because of the pressure of the roll of tape 33 against the printing roller'ZZi, there'is 'a tendency for lthe bracket comprising the 'arms and 23 to also swing in a counter-'clockx'vise direction on the pivot pin or bar "2i, Such tendency'on the 'lp'art'of the named bracket "arms is prevented by f.

a stay' or brace {it} comprising a plate-like member hingdor rotatableon or with a pini supported by the bracket Aside arms and and at its free orflower end'engag'inga 'stop in the forni of a clug "d2 on the housing bottom wall i i.

When a roll of tape 33 Vto be mounted in the vprefslnt device,rthefcover or top wall iiioi the housing or casing 'le isiswung on the hinge i5 tc awide open position. Then, by pressing rdownwardly on the upper'po'rti'ons of the bracket arms if :22'and '23er on the ink'ingdevice generally desighated 125, the printing roller is forced against a roll of'tape and the entireasseinbly'swings in a clockwise direction on the-pivot pin 2i compressing the spring '39. This movement is of limited extent since only sufficient movement is necessary to free the lower end of the brace from the stop lug l2 whereupon `the 'brace is also "swung in a clock-Wise direction on the pivot li -carryingthe'free end of the brace awayl from the Astop lu'g New the whole assembly` will swing in a counter-cloekwise"direction the bracket'arnis 22 fand .'33 and the lparts carried thereby swung in such counter-clockwise direction until 'the whole upper sideof bracket 22 is exposed.

Now the core or axle-ora used roll oi tape may be removed from the slots di 'and a new roll dropped 'into'placeto be 'supported by the arms oi'said bracket.

"lil lying at the inner sides of thebrack'et arm portions 43 and dit, respectively, and pivoted lthereto as on a bar 38. Extending forwardly fion the upper wall of the ink tank de is a walllike projection i9 below and at the ends of'v which are ears .ed supporting a'pivot pin 'cr rodi'i on 'which is mounted a bracketY generally designated 52 and vrotatably siippfiirting an inkng Iroller 53 which may be comprised of felt or the like oi* of a hard core having a layer of felt or the like thereabout.

Bracket 52 includes a yoke-like portion comprising a pair of spaced arms 5ft between the :free end portions of which is rotatably mounted the inking ro'll and then such 'bracket includes a bight portion 55 mounted lon the pin 'El and a forwardly extending arm 55 located below the 'extension or wall portion i9 previously mentioned. Ascrew 51 is rigid at its lower end with Vthe'bracket'a'iun 55 and passes through the wall- Yscrew f' between the bracket arm et and the extension "4*9 Yof the reservoir and is constantly jtending `'to rock the bracket and yoke 52 in a counter-clockwise direction. Movement of the yoke in such directionabout the pin 5i is limited and, in fact, the yokemay be swung in the opposite 'direction Vand against the tendency o'i the 'spring 59 on tightening of "the `'nut will later more fully appear, 'the 'combined 'b'i'faket and ryoke 52 is adjusted"forlthepioperfapplicatien of ink to the printing roller 2li.

A felt pad has a portion Se within thetank i5 and'dispo'sed against thebottornwall Athereof and this pad, which isin thenatureo "a wick, has a portion 6| extending outwardly of the'vtank and disposed against the upper-sident va 'ri id support or backing-'up vriiemberishown escompri'sing a piece oi metal "secured to fthe tankas by a screw or the like Through the 'wick portion iii, at the upper side fofthef'bracefE, are a series of hairs'or the like t@ Normallyftnese hairs are bearing `against Vthe -inking roll' s "t3 whereby as the latter is '-rbtated inlrisiappliedto the roller from 'the hairs andthe hairs thereselves receive the'ink from the portion tl 'Toithe described wickand the latter carries the ink by capillary attractionl from the intei'icriof ftheitank d5. With this arrangement, lover-wetting or saturation of the roller 'et is'avoided. v

A member 6P is threadedthroughtheftopwall oi tank K55 and vsuch member includesacentral portion or mid portion having a reduced diameter passage e5 therethrough and within the tank includes a portion -or tube 65 andfatfitslower end'bears 'against the wick portion-B. vThrough the inner end portionof tube-E6 are relatively large diameter openings Bl While through `the upper portion'of the "member til Iareopenings 53 aligned with similar lopeningsi in'acentrally thickened upper wall portion 1 of the tank. 't is noted that the openings 6'8 and t9 are adjacent the upper wall of `the 'tankan'dabove the ink level therein.

The rnember'li'fiV includes an upper' tubularportion 'ill into wliich''is"threadedl theshank 'Tl v'of'a needle valve i2 having 'a-'kniirled'head 'T3 'for easy manipulation of this valve. A coil spring 'id' bearing against the-underside' off the'1 valvehead i3 and a portion of member @il preventsfasual movement -of the needle "valvebut fof its 'fadjusted'po'sition. A small opening`15 is provided in the tubular portion le. The -opening'iis'to admit air whicnmoving'out'wardly through? the openings 53 and E9 is admitted tothe-'interior of the tank 45 'abovethe liquid level therein whereby to permit -of an even' moveinent'oil-iduid from the tank and tolpreventthe formtionof a vacuum in the latter.

When the needle valve'isfclosed-tightlyflopening i5 is prevented from rcfnmuniatin with theinteror of thetankarid-liquid willn'tciow from the tank. The needle valve is cracked slightly to admit of a slight entrance of air into the tank through opening l to cause the feed of ink. The rate of feed of ink will depend on the extent the needle valve is opened and this will be in accordance with atmospheric pressure of the place of use of the present device and permits of its proper use at high as well as W altitudes, etc.

In the complete machine, while the machine is vin use, the inking roller 53 is against the hairs 63a thereby taking ink and such inking roller has its periphery in engagement With the periphery of the printing roller 24 whereby ink is transferred to the type or matrix on the latter for impression upon the tape. As the tape is taken from the roll 33, the latter rotates on an axis represented by the axle 32 `and through its engagement with the printing roller the latter is rotated. Rotation of the printing roller causes rotation of the inking roller. As the tape is unwound and the roll of tape and the printing roller are rotated it will be understood that on each rotation of the printing roller a message will be printed on the tape. The same message will be printed on the tape on each rotation of the printing roller and the messages will be spaced along the length of the tape as the latter is taken from the roll.

The engagement of the inking roller with the hairs '63a is regulated by adjusting the nut 58 so as to control the position of the combined bracket and yoke 52. Then the pressure of the inking roller against the printing roller is controlled by adjustment of a finger piece 16 xed to the outer end of a threaded shank or bar Tl threaded through a supporting member 'i8 fixed to the bracket arm portions 43 and 44.

Toward its inner end, shank 'H carries an enlargement 79 and forwardly of the latter a stud t0, such stud being aligned With a stud 8| on the rear wall of the ink tank 45. A coil spring B2 surrounds these studs and bears at its ends against the outer surface of the rear wall of the ink tank 45 and the inner surface of the enlargement 19 rigid with the shank T. Clearly, on turning of the finger piece 'it in one direction, shank Vi is threaded through the bar 'i8 in a direction to compress spring 82 whereupon the spring bearing against the wall of the ink tank at a point ,Y

forwardly of and above the pivot 48, there is a tendency to move the entire assembly 26 in an arcuate direction about the bar 48 as a center. Any such movement carries the inking roller 53 downwardly against the printing roller 24 and the pressure of any such engagement Will depend on the extent to which the shank 'l1 is threaded through the bar '18.

Having thus set forth the nature of our invention, what we claim is:

1. In a printing device for repeatedly printing the same message on spaced portions of a tape as the same is taken from a roll, a first means for supporting a roll of tape for rotation about its own axis, a printing roller, a second means supporting said printing roller for rotation on an axis spaced from but parallel with the axis of a roll supported by the first mentioned means, means for inking said printing roller, pivot means mounting said rst and second means for relative pivotal movement, releasable means restraining pivotal movement of said second means in one direction, and spring means constantly urging said first means in said one direction on said pivot means to maintain a roll supported by said first means in engagement with said printing roller.

' 2. In a printing device for repeatedly printing the same message on spaced portions of a tape as the same is taken from a roll, a pivotally mounted first means for supporting a roll of tape for rotation about its own axis, a printing roller, a pivotally mounted second means supporting said lprinting roller for rotation on an axis spaced Vfrom butl parallel with the axis of a roll supported by the first means, means for inking said printing roller, said first means being pivotally movable toward said second means to carry a roll supported by said rst means into peripheral en gagement with said printing' roller, releasable means restraining movement of said second means in one direction, and spring means constantly urging said rstmeans in said one direction to resiliently maintain a roll supported by the first means in engagement with the printing roller supported by the second means.

3. In a printing device for repeatedly printing the same message on spaced portions of a tape as the same is taken from a roll, a housing including bottom and side walls and a hinged top wall swingable to and from a position closing the upper side of said housing, means on the bottom wall of said housing and supporting a pivot bar above said wall, a first means for supporting a roll of tape for rotation about its own axis, a printing roller, a second means supporting said printing roller for rotation on an axis spaced from but parallel with the axis of a roll supported by the first means, inking mechanism supported by the second means and positioned for supplying ink to said printing roller, said first and second means mounted on said pivot bar for relative pivotal movement, spring means urging said first means about said pivot means in a direction to carry said roll against the periphery of said roller, a stop on the bottom wall of said housing, a stay on the second means and normally engaging said stop whereby said second means is held against movement to carry the printing f1 roller from the roll and the latter is urged against the former by said spring means, said second means extending over said first means whereby when said cover is in open position said second means may be pressed against the rst means and both such means moved about said pivot on compression of said spring to release said stay from said stop and then both said means may move about said pivot in the opposite direction and the second means moved from over the first means to expose the latter for the mounting of a new roll thereon.

4. In a printing device for repeatedly printing the same message on spaced portions of a tape as the same is taken from a roll, a housing including bottom and side Walls and a hinged top wall swingable to and from a position closing the upper side of said housing, a rst means for supporting a roll of tape for rotation about its own axis, a printing roller, a second means supporting said printing roller for rotation on an axis spaced from but parallel with the axis of a roll supported by the first means, inking mechanism positioned for supplying ink to said printing roller, pivot means mounting said first and second means for relative pivotal movement, spring means urging said first means about said pivoty means in a directionto carry said roll against the periphery of said roller, a stop carried by said housing and disposed at the side of said pivot means toward which said spring means "7 Y'l'lfges 'a'd 's''l rheahs', 'a A`S'fay DVUied Oh the 'S'e'C- ond means and norma11y engaging' sad 'Stop Whby vsaid Second nalS 'S h'l'd igls'mb'vement to Carry ythe pi'th'g IOlli 'bm the T011 and 'the latter is urged against the former 'by said spring means, sa'd secon'd means extending vover said rst means 'whereby when sad c'o'ver is in Opn DSLOD Said S'eCh'd means may b pressed against Athe st means and 'both su'ch means moved about *Said pivot means von com- 'pression 'of said zspri'ngvto 'release said stay from Said stop and t-hen both sai means may move Ya'loont said pivot means in 'the opposite vdirec- 'tion 'and the second means moved from 'over the r's', ne'ansrto expose Ehe 'latter for the mounting 'of va new roll thereon.

m11 Frmzm s JOHN J. CAONNOLLY.

'References Cited vin the fue of this ,patent UNITED ySTATES PATENTS Number Number Name Date McCord July 2-3, 188-9 Kennedy Sept. 10, 1889 Wilson Dec. 10, 1889 McAfee Feb. 4, 1890 Canine Aug. 30, v1910 Rckon Apr. 13, 1915 King Jun-e 12, 1917 Marshall Dec. 14, 1926 Hartman Nov. 26, 1929 Miller June 29, 1937 JFOREIGN PATENTS YCountry Date vllan'ce June '20, -1f9'32 

